Thanks Bob! I just talked to the market manager again yesterday and really don't think I will be able to get that other stand.

Norma

Well, I could come up there an have a nice 'lil chat with that man if you like Norma. All it will cost you is the alky haul I drink before meeting with him! We'll get you anything you want 'lil darl'in.

Well, I could come up there an have a nice 'lil chat with that man if you like Norma. All it will cost you is the alky haul I drink before meeting with him! We'll get you anything you want 'lil darl'in.

Bob,

Thanks for the offer, but I think I want to stay in good terms with the market management. I didn't need any alky haul and said my piece yesterday.

Good for you Norma; I'm glad you did that. I'm sure your way was much better than mine.

Bob,

I have always said my piece at market. That started many years ago when our caramel popcorn stand was only 8' and the stand next to us (about 22') became vacant and we wanted to move into it. Market didn't want us to be able to move into that vacant stand even though we were the oldest standholder at market (since 1928). Finally market management came around, but that took a lot of talking. I had worked full-time at RCA at that time and my last husband also worked a full-time job as a butcher. The same thing happened when we wanted to be able to sell brittles which my husbands parents did do for many years and also again when we wanted to sell cotton candy. I don't think saying my piece this time will do any good, but at least I felt better that I did do that.

I have always said my piece at market. That started many years ago when our caramel popcorn stand was only 8' and the stand next to us (about 22') became vacant and we wanted to move into it. Market didn't want us to be able to move into that vacant stand even though we were the oldest standholder at market (since 1928). Finally market management came around, but that took a lot of talking. I had worked full-time at RCA at that time and my last husband also worked a full-time job as a butcher. The same thing happened when we wanted to be able to sell brittles which my husbands parents did do for many years and also again when we wanted to sell cotton candy. I don't think saying my piece this time will do any good, but at least I felt better that I did do that.

Norma

I hear you Norma. Like a lot of things; as I'm sure you know full well, there is probably some politics or money involved there and that is a real shame when they treat good, honest, long standing reliable folks second best. I have a friend who is a police detective with a young family and this guy can sing real good Norma. A couple elders at his Church are complaining to the Pastor that he is getting too many special solo spots. He sings like an Angel but their kids don't....so now he catches the flack.

I hear you Norma. Like a lot of things; as I'm sure you know full well, there is probably some politics or money involved there and that is a real shame when they treat good, honest, long standing reliable folks second best. I have a friend who is a police detective with a young family and this guy can sing real good Norma. A couple elders at his Church are complaining to the Pastor that he is getting too many special solo spots. He sings like an Angel but their kids don't....so now he catches the flack.

Bob,

I really don't think money or politics are involved at market. I think there are only 3 people that are on the board at market, all which are family members. I have no idea how they make decisions.

Sorry to hear about your friend, that is also a sad story. Everything isn't fair in life, but that is the way it goes sometimes.

Thanks! Did you have any Mack's pizza this spring? I posted before my daughter was in Wildwood right after Mack's opened and her slices and the whole Mack's pizza she brought home to me sure weren't good. I was just wondering if they became better after she was there. I sure don't like it when a Mack's pizza isn't good.

I have had a couple of Mack's pies, since the opening. They are always a little inconsistent in the spring, but when they are making hundreds of pies a day - the quality kicks in.

BOARDWALKER,

I find that amusing that Mack's can't make the pizzas consistent until they are making hundreds of pizzas a day. I would think that when making less pizzas the pizzas would be better. Thanks for telling me you have had a couple of Mack's pizzas this year. I was just at Joey's Pizza in Trenton, NJ where they also have tomato pies. Marcuas, Mack's and Manco and Manco are all related in some way and I am going to try to get to the bottom of what goes on to make this pies so different. Joey's Pizza was a whole lot better in my opinion than Mack's. At least it was when I was there this past weekend.

Bob, that block of cheese almost weighed 45 lbs. Yes, it is mild cheddar, but it melts like mozzarella, grates like mozzarella, is soft like mozzarella, but has a little more taste than mozzarella. If I would give you a piece to eat plain I think you would think it was a good mozzarella.

Bob, that block of cheese almost weighed 45 lbs. Yes, it is mild cheddar, but it melts like mozzarella, grates like mozzarella, is soft like mozzarella, but has a little more taste than mozzarella. If I would give you a piece to eat plain I think you would think it was a good mozzarella.

Norma

I think I would probably say: "Norma, that's Grande cheese, how'd you get it so cheap!?"

I think I would probably say: "Norma, that's Grande cheese, how'd you get it so cheap!?"

Bob,

I have tried Grande cheese and used it exclusively when I first starting making pizzas. I purchased Grande from a pizzeria near me. I know other members would have different opinions than I do, but for me the mild cheddar has more taste and bakes about the same as Grande. I did get the Grande in loaves and grated it myself for a long while, until I found other mozzarellas that I liked better than Grande.

The mild cheddar I now use did go up .29 a lb. since I started using it though. Cheeses do go up and down a lot in prices.

I have tried Grande cheese and used it exclusively when I first starting making pizzas. I purchased Grande from a pizzeria near me. I know other members would have different opinions than I do, but for me the mild cheddar has more taste and bakes about the same as Grande. I did get the Grande in loaves and grated it myself for a long while, until I found other mozzarellas that I liked better than Grande.

The mild cheddar I now use did go up .29 a lb. since I started using it though. Cheeses do go up and down a lot in prices.

Norma

Faaantastic Norma...is this the mild ched you are sworn to secre...oh never mind.

Faaantastic Norma...is this the mild ched you are sworn to secre...oh never mind.

Bob,

I would give the brand of the mild cheddar that I use now, but don't think most members would have access to it in smaller amounts. I did check on the cheese producers website and they don't send this mild cheddar out either. The way I figure is if only pizza businesses can purchase the mild cheddar I found what is the use of posting about it. I would gladly give the brand name if regular members could be able to purchase it.

I would give the brand of the mild cheddar that I use now, but don't think most members would have access to it in smaller amounts. I did check on the cheese producers website and they don't send this mild cheddar out either. The way I figure is if only pizza businesses can purchase the mild cheddar I found what is the use of posting about it. I would gladly give the brand name if regular members could be able to purchase it.

Norma

I understand exactly Norma; and the way you just explained it makes perfect sense. Thank you.

I turned my oven down to 515 degrees F yesterday, but forgot my IR gun at home to be able to take the actual temperatures on different parts of the stone. The reason I turned down the temperature in my oven was because I saw different pizzerias in Trenton, NJ using lower temperatures than I use. The pizzas still had enough oven spring in my opinion and the edge crusts browned okay and also the bottom crusts. What surprised me more, was the bake time really was about the same.

This are a few photos of the pizzas yesterday. I also dressed all the boardwalk style pizzas the same way Joey's in Trenton does yesterday. That style also seemed to work well.

I started reading this thread about 1 year ago and have read the WHOLE thing. Parts of it, I've read many times, both for the education and for just sheer enjoyment.

I live in Colorado but visited by sister and her family about 4 years ago. They took me to Ocean City and insisted that I have pizza at (then) Mack and Mancos. The line that day was about 20 people out the door, but we waited and waited and finally got in. It was worth the wait! I just loved the pizza and so decided to search for the recipe online, which led me to this site.

I'd like to thank you, especially, Norma, for all of your experimenting on this thread and for generously sharing your findings. Many a night, I have gone to sleep with visions of Gangi Supreme Super Heavy Pizza Sauce and Long Horn cheddar dancing in my head. It's been quite a journey and I agree with an earlier poster who commented that this story should be turned into a film. Would actually make a great documentary.

I've tried several of the recipes in my home oven and agree with the direction you've taken the pizza. (Your last couple of pizza's are GORGEOUS and I feel are probably better than what Mack's is producing now, according to the recent photos and your reports.)

My family is enjoying my experimentation on this, so your efforts are making people happy across the country, whether you realize it or not!

Last weekend I tried your recipe from post 1656 as modified in post 1696. For those playing at home, for a 14 inch pizza (initial TF of 0.0850) the recipe is:

I liked this a lot, but will try a 2.5% Salt next time. I remember you posting earlier that the Mack's crust tasted very salty when you re-heated it, but mine didn't.

Here are a few pictures of my latest effort. For flour I used KABF. I used the WalMart paste (doctored up like Ev does it) and I used Cracker Barrel Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese (which I didn't know was "orange" until I opened the package, LOL) along with a mozzarella, about a 50/50 blend.

P.S. I would be willing to get a Pinocchio, Geppetto, and Jiminy cricket if you feel it will help my pizzas to be more like yours.